Program in Humanistic Studies

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Director

Gideon A. Rosen

Committee on Humanistic Studies

Angela N. H. Creager, History

Diana J. Fuss, English

Thomas W. Hare, Comparative Literature

Leigh E. Schmidt, Religion

Michael A. Wachtel, Slavic Languages and Literatures

Christian Wildberg, Classics

The Program in Humanistic Studies, under the auspices of the Council of the Humanities, sponsors two kinds of courses. General courses introduce students to interrelated events, ideas, texts, and artifacts of Asian and Western cultures.

Ferris, McGraw, and Robbins seminars in journalism, taught by distinguished writers and journalists, examine a wide spectrum of topics related to writing and the media, from creative nonfiction to relations among different media and society.

General Courses

HUM 205 The Classical Roots of Western Literature (see COM 205)

HUM 206 Masterworks of European Literature (see COM 206)

HUM 207 The Bible as Literature (also COM 207, ENG 390) — Spring LA

The Bible will be read closely in its own right and as an enduring resource for literature and commentary. The course will cover its forms and genres, including historical narrative, uncanny tales, prophecy, lyric, lament, commandment, sacred biography, and apocalypse; its pageant of weird and extraordinary characters; and its brooding intertextuality. Students will become familiar with a wide variety of biblical interpretations, from the Rabbis to Augustine to Kafka and Kierkegaard. Cinematic commentary will be included—Bible films, from the campy to the sublime. One 90-minute lecture, one 90-minute preceptorial. E. Schor

HUM 209 Cultural Interpretation (see ECS 209)

HUM 212 Classical Mythology (see CLA 212)

HUM 216 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Western Culture I: Literature and the Arts — Fall LA

This course, taken simultaneously with 217, forms the first part of an intensive, four-course (216–219) interdisciplinary introduction to Western culture from antiquity to the Middle Ages. These courses bring together students and several faculty members to discuss key texts, events, and artifacts of European civilization. Readings and discussions are complemented by films, concerts, museum visits, guest lectures, and other special events. Students enroll in both 216 and 217. One lecture, two discussion sessions. G. Jones, S. Anderson, A. Nehamas

HUM 217 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Western Culture I: History, Philosophy, and Religion — Spring HA

In combination with 216, this is the first part of a year-long interdisciplinary sequence, exploring Western Culture from Antiquity to the Middle Ages. Students enroll in both 216 and 217. One lecture, two discussion sections. G. Jones, A. Feldherr

HUM 218 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Western Culture II: Literature and the Arts — Spring LA

This course, taken simultaneously with 219, forms the second part of an intensive, four-course (216–219) interdisciplinary introduction to Western culture from the Renaissance to the modern period. These courses bring together students and several faculty members to discuss key texts, events, and artifacts of European civilization. Readings and discussions are complemented by films, concerts, museum visits, and other special events. Students enroll in both 218 and 219. Prerequisites: 216–217 or instructor’s permission. Two lectures, one seminar. G. Jones, E. da Costa Meyer, G. Rosen

HUM 219 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Western Culture II: History, Philosophy, and Religion — Spring EC

In combination with 218, this is the second half of a year-long interdisciplinary sequence exploring Western culture from the 15th to the 20th centuries. Prerequisite: 216–217 or instructor’s permission. One lecture, one seminar. G. Jones, D. Cloud, C. Lee

HUM 223 Ideas and Images in Chinese Culture (see EAS 223)

HUM 224 Ideas and Images in Japanese Culture (see EAS 224)

HUM 227 The World of the Middle Ages (see MED 227)

HUM 229 Great Books in Buddhism (see REL 229)

HUM 231 The Chinese Classics: A Comparative Approach (see EAS 231)

HUM 233 East Asian Humanities I: The Classical Foundations (also EAS 233, COM 233) — Fall EM

An introduction to the literature, art, religion, and philosophy of China, Japan, and Korea from antiquity to ca. 1400. Readings are focused on primary texts in translation and complemented by museum visits, films and other materials from the visual arts. The lecturers include faculty members from East Asian studies, comparative literature, art and archaeology, and religion. Students are encouraged to enroll in 234 in the spring, which will continue the course from ca. 1400 into the 20th century. Two lectures, one preceptorial. P. Wang, M. Emmerich

HUM 234 East Asian Humanities II: Tradition and Transformation (also EAS 234, COM 234) — Spring EM

An introduction to the literary, philosophical, religious, and artistic traditions of East Asia. Readings are focused on primary texts in translation. Lectures and discussions are accompanied by films, concerts, and museum visits. Lecturers include faculty from East Asian studies, comparative literature, art and archaeology, and religion. Two lectures, one class. T. Hare, M. Emmerich

HUM 318 Medieval Manuscript Illumination (see ART 318)

HUM 365 Freud on the Psychological Foundations of the Mind (also PSY 365) — Fall EC

Freud is approached as a systematic thinker dedicated to discovering the basic principles of human mental life. For Freud, these basic principles concern what impels human thought and behavior. What moves us to think and act? What is it to think and act? Emphasis is placed on the close study and critical analysis of texts, with particular attention to the underlying structure of the arguments. Two 90-minute classes. S. Sugarman

Seminars in Journalism and Writing

Princeton’s journalism courses are administered by an interdisciplinary committee consisting of the chairs of the English and politics departments, the dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, the director of the creative writing program, and the chair of the Council of the Humanities. They were inaugurated in 1957 by the bequest of former New York Herald journalist, Edwin F. Ferris, of the Class of 1899. In 1984 publisher Harold W. McGraw Jr. ’40 created the McGraw Professorship in Writing and Publishing, in recognition of the importance of writing in all disciplines. Other seminars have been sponsored by a gift from the E. Franklin Robbins Trust, in honor of the late William G. Michaelson ’59 and his daughter Robin L. Michaelson ’89.

In addition to sponsoring courses, the Ferris committee provides grants to Princeton undergraduates who undertake summer internships in the media. For more information, visit www.princeton.edu/~humcounc.

Courses

JRN 440 The Literature of Fact — Fall, Spring LA

This seminar will offer a chance to think about and practice different kinds of writing. We will strive to identify and emulate the best—the smartest, the most vivid, the most humane—in a variety of journalistic genres, from news analysis to arts criticism to foreign correspondence. J. Kelly (fall); C. Pierpont (spring)

JRN 441 The McGraw Seminar in Writing — Fall LA

Each year a different kind of specialized writing is featured, such as writing about the arts, science, economics, and technology. Focus depends on the specialty of the Harold W. McGraw Professor of Writing and Publishing. One three-hour seminar. A. Ross

JRN 445 Investigative Journalism — Spring SA

This course looks at investigative reporting both as a practice, with its own methods of research, and as a force in society. Specific content and approach vary from year to year, depending on the expertise of the Ferris Professor of Journalism. One three-hour seminar. B. Gellman

JRN 447 Politics and the Media — Fall SA

Examination of political journalism and the role of the press in American society. The content and approach vary from year to year, depending on the interests of the Ferris Professor of Journalism. One three-hour seminar. E. Rosenthal

JRN 448 The Media and Social Issues — Not offered this year EM

An examination of the ways in which the media both cover and influence social issues. Specific content and approach vary from year to year, depending on the expertise of the Ferris Professor of Journalism. One three-hour seminar. Staff

JRN 449 International News — Fall, Spring SA

This seminar explores the particular challenges of writing about other cultures, as well as the powers and limits of foreign reporting in shaping American public opinion. Specific content and approach vary from year to year, depending on the expertise of the Ferris Professor of Journalism. One three-hour seminar. P. Maass (fall); T. Cambanis (spring)

JRN 452 Journalism on the Screen — Spring

Readers increasingly follow the news on television and the Internet. This seminar explores the potential as well as the limitations and dangers of on-screen journalism. Specific content and approach vary from year to year, depending on the expertise of the Ferris Professor of Journalism. One three-hour seminar. K. Kiely